Cabinet to approve strategy to prevent domestic abuse
Telford & Wrekin Council is set to approve a strategy that aims to prevent domestic abuse and improve the support offered to those affected.
Services and pathways will be improved so that the right specialist support is offered to women, children and young people and men affected, and also to perpetrators to change their behaviour.
This will be done by working in partnership with West Mercia Police and other colleagues through a number of other partnership boards:
- Telford & Wrekin Safeguarding Children and Adults Boards
- Safer Telford & Wrekin Partnership
- Health & Wellbeing Board
Prevention of domestic abuse is part of a wider ambition to tackle the so called “toxic trio” combination of risks - substance misuse and mental health domestic abuse, which are all common features of families where harm to children occurs.
In 2016/17, 4,832 domestic abuse offences were recorded in Telford and Wrekin.
This represents the highest rate of domestic abuse offences within the West Mercia Police Alliance.
Councillor Rae Evans, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for People Services, Visitor Economy and Partnerships, said: “As an administration we are passionate about stamping out domestic abuse. This strategy marks the start of organisations coming together from across the borough to prevent it.
“The number of offences in Telford and Wrekin is higher than anywhere in West Mercia, but comparisons are difficult because the demographics of the borough are drastically different to other areas in the alliance.
“The fact that Telford has been a White Ribbon town for the 5th year running demonstrates the ongoing commitment we all have to preventing domestic abuse.
“Through our White Ribbon campaign we will continue to prevent domestic abuse from happening in the first place by challenging the attitudes and behaviours which foster it.”
